The Greatest Showman - Chapter 681 (New Version)

Renly's latest project, Edge of Tomorrow, has finally reached its conclusion. This film marks several milestones: it is his first foray into the sci-fi action genre and his first time taking the lead in a commercial blockbuster.

Interestingly, this is the first project where Renly has been involved in the production process. While he remains uncertain about how much of his input on the script or direction will be used, the experience is entirely new for him.

The challenges Renly faces with this project are immense and distinct from his previous work.

The most obvious distinction between commercial and art films is the unpredictability of the former. In art films, the future can often be somewhat predicted based on factors like the performance quality, the script's depth, and the director's skill. A film can be good or bad, and those qualities will often align with critical reception. However, with commercial films, even if the final product is universally acclaimed, the box office results remain out of the crew's control. The first metric for evaluating a commercial film's success is its box office performance.

Edge of Tomorrow serves as a prime example of this. In Renly's past life, the film—despite being anchored by Tom Cruise's star power and receiving positive reviews—earned only $100 million at the North American box office. What will happen in this timeline? Especially given that not only has the male lead changed, but it seems the entire cast lineup is also different.

In its original form, Edge of Tomorrow was heavily influenced by Tom Cruise, who brought his own team for every aspect of production—from the screenplay to the director, to the cinematography, and even the music and special effects. Tom's extensive involvement ensured a top-tier crew and the highest industry standards. The cast, including Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, and Brendan Gleeson, was also filled with A-list actors.

Although the director Doug Liman has stated that Tom didn't select him for the role, it's clear that during production, Doug seamlessly adapted to the rhythm of working with such high-profile actors, aligning his direction with Tom's style, and making several adjustments to the final product.

Additionally, the crew spared no expense, filming in London's top studios to create as much of the real world as possible before adding sci-fi effects in post-production. This approach led to substantial daily filming costs. It's been estimated that the daily cost of filming a commercial blockbuster in a large city ranges between $700,000 and $1 million. This is why many film crews choose to shoot in cities like Philadelphia, Toronto, and Atlanta, where local government incentives help reduce costs.

The wealthier studios film in London, while the less affluent ones head to Atlanta.

Now, with Renly replacing Tom Cruise, there's a high likelihood that the entire crew will be revamped. From the producer to the director, the props team, scheduling, location choices, and special effects, everything could change. This raises the question: will Edge of Tomorrow still resemble the film remembered by audiences? Will the final product be better or worse than before?

While these changes are numerous, they remain within Renly's control. Choosing the right director, working closely with the screenwriter, and finding the best crew through the producer are steps Renly can take to ensure the project remains of high quality. Hollywood's film industry has evolved into a well-oiled machine, so the overall quality of a commercial film usually maintains a certain standard—even with these changes.

For Renly, the most significant uncertainty stems from the timing of the film's release. Originally, Edge of Tomorrow was slated for a 2014 release, but now, it may be released as early as 2012, or at the latest, 2013. How will this change in timing affect the film?

The success of a movie often depends on timing—the "right place, right time" factor. For example, in 1995, Waterworld was released. At the time, apocalyptic disaster films were still an emerging genre, and audiences found it difficult to embrace. With computer-generated effects still in their infancy, the film's reception was lukewarm. As a result, Waterworld earned the distinction of being one of the biggest box office failures of its time.

However, looking back years later, many later disaster films seemed to follow the structural and narrative models set by Waterworld, and its quality was better than initially thought. Had it been released two years later, it might have competed more successfully against Titanic for cinematic history.

In contrast, when Avatar was released in 2009, it benefited from the maturity of 3D technology, which allowed James Cameron's vision to come to life. The result was a revolutionary film that broke box office records. Had it been delayed for two years, audiences might have been fatigued by 3D films, or if released too early, the technology might not have been sufficient for Cameron's vision. Thus, timing played a crucial role in Avatar's success.

The same principle applies to Edge of Tomorrow. The movie's release schedule is critical, just as much as its content. For example, the release of Fast and Furious 5 clashed with Thor, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2) had to compete with Captain America. A favorable release schedule can allow a movie to tap into its full box office potential, while a poor schedule can severely limit its success.

In 2014, Edge of Tomorrow was set to be released in June, but it faced heavy competition from films like X-Men: Days of Future Past, Maleficent, and Godzilla, only to be overshadowed by The Fault in Our Stars. In addition, it encountered fierce competition from How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Transformers 4.

Such a crowded schedule could trap the film in a competitive "squeeze," where its box office potential is constrained.

But what if the release were moved up to 2012? The June schedule of that year was even more crowded. The Avengers, Men in Black 3, Snow White and the Huntsman, Madagascar 3, Prometheus, Brave, Teddy Bear, Magic Mike, and The Amazing Spider-Man all hit theaters around the same time. Many of these films grossed over $100 million, with five surpassing $200 million.

If Edge of Tomorrow were to face such competition, could it break through the noise? Whether the change in timing would benefit or hinder the film is unclear, as factors beyond the content itself—such as timing, scheduling, and competition—are impossible to predict.

Simply put, everything about Edge of Tomorrow is brand new. Renly is fully aware that the trajectory of this project will diverge from the original timeline. This shift is exactly what Renly aims for, and though he didn't expect the change to come so quickly, he's excited by the uncertainty.

As Renly's career continues to rise, with Buried Alive, Crazy in Love, and Fast and Furious 5 all paving the way, the emergence of Edge of Tomorrow presents a challenge unlike any he's faced before. But Renly is not afraid—he's exhilarated.

The future remains unknown, and Renly is determined to break free from the shackles of his previous life. He's already achieved a great deal by starting from scratch and working his way up. Now, whether Edge of Tomorrow succeeds or not, Renly knows that it will be the product of hard work, not speculation.

The excitement inside him surges, akin to the feeling he had when he first won the opportunity to perform in Pacific War. Life is unpredictable, like a box of chocolates—you never know what you'll get. Renly raised his glass of champagne to the waiter, the cold touch calming him slightly.

As Jeff introduced him around the party, Renly circled the gathering for about an hour. Unlike the Golden Globes earlier that year, this event was less about superficial social interactions and more about real connections. Thanks to Jeff, Renly met actors, producers, screenwriters, photographers, and editors.

By the time Renly had made the rounds, he had met over 100 people, though his search for Paul Walker had yet to bear fruit. The party was so packed—indoors, outdoors, upstairs, and downstairs—that it felt impossible to find him. Eventually, Renly took refuge in a quiet corner for a moment of respite.

But, as fate would have it, that corner was already occupied.